1. Field of Invention
The present invention pertains to the field of device authentication. More particularly, this invention relates to device authentication using preconfigured security keys.
2. Art Background
A wide variety of devices may be employed in a network communication environment. For example, measurement devices may be placed in locations where measurements are desired and a communication network may be used to report obtained measurements to an information recording facility. Similarly, actuator/control devices may be placed in desired locations and a communication network may be used to carry control information to/from the devices.
It is usually desirable in a network environment to provide mechanisms that enable authentication of devices with respect to their owners/users. For example, it is common for the owner/user of a measurement device to subscribe to a data logging service provided by an information recording facility. In such a system, it is desirable to provide the information recording facility with a capability to authenticate the fact that a measurement device is associated with a user/owner that subscribes to the services of the information recording facility.
In addition, it is usually desirable in a network environment to provide secure communication for devices. Secure communication may prevent, for example, unauthorized parties from obtaining data from a measurement device or prevent unauthorized parties from providing control information to actuator/control devices.
Prior techniques for enabling authentication and secure communication for devices in a network usually include human intervention. For example, it is common for a field installer to configure a measurement device with a security key at its installation site. The security key may then be used by an information recording facility to authenticate messages from the measurement device and decrypt data that is encrypted with the security key. Unfortunately, such techniques that involve human intervention usually increase the costs of device installation. Such costs are magnified in applications that involve large numbers of devices connected to an open network.